Oh the weather outside is... Rochester.

The day started off fairly warm, and before you know it, it was almost 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Looking at the temperature graph for the next day and a half, it looks like someone plotted y= -x + 70 !

My freshman year, the amount of snowfall was moderate, apparently. I handled it easily, as did anyone with a good pair of boots and knowledge of how to wear layers. But last year was surprisingly warm! It barely snowed at all during the winter. In fact, the FreezeFest Rail Jam event was cancelled because there was so little snow!

This year, folks are saying it’s going to come back to bite us, with a terrible winter. I haven’t seen any evidence of that yet, but I’m prepared just in case.

Let’s look at the statistics for the school:

Average temperatures:

December - January: 24-29 degrees

June - August: 70 degrees

Snowfall:

November: 6 inches

December: 19 inches

January - February: 22 inches

March: 13 inches

Keeping all this in mind, how does one stay prepared for whatever weather Rochester will throw at you?

Tips!

Check the weather report each morning for the whole day -- not just how warm/cold it is when you leave in the morning.

Always bring an umbrella and/or lightweight rainjacket, even if there’s no forecasted rain. You’d rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

When it’s colder out, dress in layers. It’s better to be able to remove your outer jacket and just rely on a sweatshirt, than to be wearing a t-shirt underneath a monstrously warm coat, and have nothing in between.

This is important because overheating will chill you later! Sweat stays in your clothing and cools later, making you even colder. Err on the side of being a bit too chilly than a bit too hot.

Get a good pair of waterproof boots. Don’t cheap out, get a pair that will last you the rest of your life. If you really detest harcore-looking boots, just know that fashion and function aren’t mutually exclusive. Just ask /r/malefashionadvice on reddit.

I try to stick with most of these, although I’m pretty bad at the third one. Long johns are great for keeping you warm, but not when certain buildings on campus are warm enough to wear beachwear in.

But I guess dealing with that transition is the same as dealing with Rochester’s weather, eh?